Research Guides
Folklore & Mythology: Background Sources
Folkloristics, the study of Folklore, is the study of human expressive culture, and includes myths, legends, folk- and fairy-tales, jokes, proverbs, jump-rope rhymes, material culture, and much more.
Encyclopedias and specialized dictionaries can provide explanations of folkloristic terms and theories, regional overviews of folklore, synopses of specific tales, artifacts and beliefs, and other information that can help you find additional resources. Handbooks and companions have longer articles providing more detailed information that can serve as a literature review and a summary of the state of scholarship on a topic.
To find additional encyclopedias, search UW Libraries Search for your broad topic followed by the term encyclopedias. For example: africa folklore encyclopedias.
Also search for folklore topics in these three collections of encyclopedias:
Encyclopedias
- Encyclopedia of Beasts and Monsters in Myth, Legend and Folklore
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- Encyclopedia of Spirits and Ghosts in World Mythology
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- Encyclopedia of Urban Legends
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- Encyclopedia of Women's Folklore and Folklife
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- Encyclopedia of World Folk Dance
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- Folk Heroes and Heroines Around the World
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- Folklore: An Encyclopedia of Beliefs, Customs, Tales, Music, and Art
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- Folktales and Fairy Tales: Traditions and Texts From Around the World
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- Story Telling around the World: Folktales, Narrative Rituals, and Oral Traditions
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- They Believed That?: A Cultural Encyclopedia of Superstitions and the Supernatural Around the World
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Encyclopedias: Specific Regions & Peoples
- African American Culture: An Encyclopedia of People, Traditions, and Customs
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- American Myths, Legends, and Tall Tales: An Encyclopedia of American Folklore
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- Dictionary of English Folklore
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- Encyclopedia of American Folk Art
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- Encyclopedia of Asian American Folklore and Folklife
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- Encyclopedia of Greek and Roman Mythology
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- Encyclopedia of Jewish Folklore and Traditions
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- Encyclopedia of Latino Culture: From Calaveras to Quinceañeras
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- Norse Mythology: A Guide to Gods, Heroes, Rituals, and Beliefs
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Encyclopedias: Related Subjects
- Celebrating Life Customs around the World: From Baby Showers to Funerals
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- Countries and Their Cultures
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- Encyclopedia of Religion
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- Worldmark Encyclopedia of Cultures and Daily Life
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Handbooks & Companions
- Archetypes and Motifs in Folklore and Literature: A Handbook
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- Ashgate Research Companion to Monsters and the Monstrous
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- Cambridge Handbook of Material Culture Studies
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- Companion to Folklore
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- Edinburgh Companion to Scottish Traditional Literatures
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- Folk and Fairy Tales: A Handbook
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- Foodways and Folklore: A Handbook
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- Handbook of Chinese Mythology
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- Handbook of Classical Mythology
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- Handbook of Egyptian Mythology
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- Handbook of Hindu Mythology
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- Handbook of Inca Mythology
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- Handbook of Japanese Mythology
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- Handbook of Mesoamerican Mythology
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- Handbook of Native American Mythology
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- Handbook of Polynesian Mythology
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- Oxford Companion to Fairy Tales
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- Oxford Handbook of American Folklore and Folklife Studies
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- Oxford Handbook of Greek and Roman Mythography
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- Oxford Handbook of Slavic and East European Folklore
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- Palgrave Handbook of African Oral Traditions and Folklore
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- Routledge Handbook of Greek Mythology
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- Handbook of Norse Mythology
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Very Short Introductions
- Classical Mythology: A Very Short Introduction
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- Egyptian Myth: A Very Short Introduction
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- Ethnomusicology: A Very Short Introduction
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- Fairy Tale: A Very Short Introduction
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- Folk Music: A Very Short Introduction
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- Myth: A Very Short Introduction
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- Ritual: A Very Short Introduction
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- World Mythology: A Very Short Introduction
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